


Ever After

by esama



Series: Sweet Eternity [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Vampire Hunter D
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Future Fic, M/M, POV Outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-12-11 01:00:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11703498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/esama/pseuds/esama
Summary: Of all the establishments, they had to walk into hers.





	Ever After

**Author's Note:**

> unbetaed, as usual  
> Also, this is takes an undetermined time in the future, like, hundreds of years at least, thousands maybe.

Anja had heard about him, the famous dhampir Vampire Hunter. Most everyone in the "business" had, and though she'd given up the hope of following her mother's footsteps into the ream of hunting, she'd still kept an ear to the ground – and D is a true legend. The strongest, oldest, undefeated Vampire Hunter, the best in the business. Expensive to boot too, but then, if you're good at something...

She'd never expected to meet him, though. Anja's mother hunted banshees, hags, seirens and similar creatures – specialising in the monsters that tended to trip most men. Those were the circles Anja was most familiar with, and Vampire Hunters generally didn't cross paths with them, so... She'd known about him, but never expected to see him.

Not until he rides into her town, like a myth given physical form. The cloak, the hat, the everything is just like the stories said, down to the perfect pale face and exquisite physique which, judging by the stories, had tripped dozens if not hundreds of women into hopeless lust. And Anja can see why. The man is almost too perfect.

"That vampire blood," her mother had said, shaking her head. "It's all a trick. He's not really that pretty – it's just how we see them, because vampires trick us, so that we fall into their charms easier, fall onto their fangs quicker. That includes dhampirs."

What the stories don't say is that D the Vampire Hunter travels in company. A man walks beside his horse, dressed in long dark cloak and strange wide brimmed hat – not like the one D wears, but pointy ended and kind of funny. No where near as pretty or as enticing as the Vampire Hunter, he looks woefully out of place beside the dhampir's horse – and yet, D has matched it's pace with the man's, obviously keeping him company.

Perhaps D has been hired to escort the man – maybe the man has a vampire after him? It has happened, probably, though Anja has never heard of it.

"This a way house?" the strange man with the famous dhampir asks.

"That it is," Anja says and leans her elbow onto the window sill, from where she'd been watching them approach. "Hundred dala for night – hundred and twenty with a bath. And that's each – includes the horse, though," she adds, nodding at the cyborg horse D is still riding on.

The human man looks up at the dhampir. "How about it?"

Anja looks up and – yes, she can see why women fall at the drop of a hat for this guy. He looks like front page of a romance novel; tall, dark, mysterious, painfully beautiful and with that hint of broken that makes one wish to soothe him.

The dhampir looks at his companion without a hint of expression on his pale face, and then he looks at Anja. "Private rooms?"

She's well into her forties and with two children of her own – and even then her heart skips a little beat when his eyes find hers. Damn – how much of is real, how much of it is that terrible vampire lure that tricked so many?

Anja clears her throat. "Best bit of privacy you're going to get in these parts," she says. "Comes with clean sheets and everything."

The dhampir's human companion rests a hand on his hip and looks up. "Real bed," he says, imploring. "And a bath. I don't know about you, but I could use a little clean up."

"Hm," the Vampire Hunter answers, turning back to him, his eyelids lowering slightly. Anja can't quite tell if it's suspicion, displeasure – or the complete opposite. It makes her little hot under the collar anyway.

"Fine," he finally says, much to his human companion's delight. Then, to Anja's delight and surprise, he takes a small handful of coins and drops them on the window sill. "One room – two baths."

"You got it," Anja says, counting the coins with a glance and then quickly scooping them up. "You can take the horse to the stable over there, and once you come round the front and inside, I'll get you key to your room. Baths' will be ready for you in ten minutes."

It isn't until the strange pair have headed off to the stables that Anja realises – neither had asked about food.

* * *

 

Anja sets up some freshly heated bread and assortment of things to top them with onto the counter as the strange pair of travellers come inside. The human man is in the lead, walking in throwing curious looks around while the famous Vampire Hunter follows not a foot behind, not really looking at anything.

"Here you are, gents, your keys," she says and holds out two keys with wooden keychains. "Room 12, it's on the third floor, first room on the right. Baths are on other hand over there," she points to a corridor leading away from the main tavern. "There will be towels and soaps there, though if you use more than one towel per head I will charge you extra."

"I'm sure we can avoid that," the human man says and takes his key while D takes the other. "Thanks."

Inside, the few regulars eye the pair with interest, but they know better than to cause a fuss in Anja's house. She houses a lot of hunters, keeping a room or two open just in case for them, and the locals know the level of trouble she can cause for people should they try something.

Same can't be said about her daughter, however. Nenja's eyes find the famous Vampire Hunter instantly and Anja can tell the moment his looks register. Her daughter is sharp as a whip cord, but not very subtle – her eyes widen, her mouth slackens a little, and her stare is embarrassingly blatant.

The Vampire Hunter, if he notices it, pays it no attention. The human, however, does, casting Nenja a look and then turning away with an amused smile.

"Baths first," he says and taps the back of his hand against D's chest. "Come on."

The food Anja laid out gets ignored by both – and then is almost knocked off the counter by Nenja who rushes to her side. "Ma, ma, please tell me they're staying here?"

"No, I just gave them keys as a sort of souvenir," Anja says and sighs. "Nenja, don't, not with this one."

"I'm sorry – did you not see him or something?" Nenja asks incredulously. "I mean you are old but I didn't think you were going blind yet..."

"I mean it, girl," Anja says sharply. "Not this one."

Nenja opens her mouth to argue, but then seems to think better off it. "Fine," she says. "But nothing stops me from looking and appreciating, right? I mean, that was... something else."

"So as long as that's all you do – and don't embarrass me," Anja adds and takes the bread off the counter again. "That man is one of the most powerful hunters there is, and I don't want him to get a bad impression of my hospitality. So have some manners and don't stare like a dolt."

"I won't," Nenja lies outrageously even as she sends a suspiciously interested look to the way of the baths. "I will be the soul of graceful hospitality."

"Sure you will," Anja sighs. "Back to work with you."

Nenja sashays off, obviously full of trouble and Anja shakes her head. This would be an interesting night.

* * *

 

The famous Vampire Hunter and his entirely unknown human companion return from their baths seemingly refreshed and somehow completely dry. Anja gives them a curious look, but doesn't comment on it – though she would certainly like the trick D had used to apparently instantly dry his hair. Hers is almost as long, and drying it is a pain.

"I hope the baths were to your liking?"

"They were good, thanks," the human says while D scans the tavern with a single sweeping glance – and then goes back to ignoring it.

"How about some dinner, then?" Anja offers. "Or something to drink? we have best selection of wines, whiskey and brandy in the entire town..."

"We're good, thanks," the human says. "If you have a local newspaper, though, I’d love a look at that."

"Sure we do – you can find all the papers on that rack, over there."

"Thanks."

Anja watches with slight confusion as the pair heads off, the human picking up a paper at random and then throwing himself to sit by the nearest empty table. D follows him silently, sitting down across him and saying nothing as the human goes about leafing through the paper with curious interest.

They really are a strange pair, especially considering how everyone agrees on one point when it comes to the dhampir Vampire Hunter – he will never accept a partner.

Anja tries to ignore her curiosity on the matter – it's not her business – but Nenja makes no such attempt. She swings her way over to their table as soon as they've settled down, and, with her hips cocked and her neckline riding as low as it can go while still keeping her modesty, she asks, "What can I get for you gentlemen on this fine evening?"

"We're good, thanks," the human says, glancing up and smiling at her briefly and then looking down at the paper again. Anja makes a silent note of it – of his total lack of interest. Nenja is a lovely girl and his eyes didn't trail down even for a blink.

Well, it's just as well. It would have been beyond awkward to have to chase the famous D's companion away from her establishment.

Nenja ignores him completely though, all her attention on D. "How about you, sir?" she asks, in a way she probably thinks comes across demure – it doesn't. "Might there be anything you'd like?"

D glances up at her – and his eyes do trail down, though not to her chest. It's only for a moment and then he is looking away again – but he looked at her bared neck.

Anja's fingers tighten on the edge of her counter.

"You can go now," the human man says without looking up. "Thank you," he adds.

Nenja ignores him again. "We have wonderful selection of wines, or perhaps something stronger if you'd like," she tells D. "I recommend the Fairanview brand Brandy, it has a lovely smoky after taste."

D closes his eyes briefly and looks up at her. "No thank you," he says.

Nenja falters, but only for a moment. "Well how about some food then? we have a lovely leg of lamb on the roast, butchered fresh this morning, and -"

D sighs and the human man looks up sharply, glancing at him and then turning his eyes to Nenja – all good humour gone.

"Nenja," Anja calls quickly. "Back to work, now."

Nenja whirls on her, the look of all obstinate teenagers world over on her face. "I am working, ma!" she says.

"Now, girl."

Anja's voice brooks no arguments, and she wonders if the sudden nerves show on her face. Behind furiously glaring Nenja, the human man puts the paper away, leaning in to look at D more closely. The Vampire Hunter shakes his head almost imperceptibly, but something about his faces makes the human frown worriedly.

Nenja hesitates – and then almost jumps out of her skin when the human man stands up. "Thank you for your lovely service," he says, as the tavern quiets down and people, not so subtly, stare. "But it was a early morning for us, and I think it's time we turn in."

D rises to his feet silently, already turning away while Nenja falters, lifting her hand as if to stop him, but he's already going – and the human man in his weird robe and hat hurries after him.

Neither Anja nor Nenja miss the way the humans hand gone to touch the Vampire Hunter's back almost as if by itself before the man catches himself and lowers it again.

Then they're gone up the stairs and Nenja huffs, whirling on her heel and stomping over. "Now look what you did!" she says furiously. "I wasn't even doing anything, I was just being friendly and you --"

Anja sighs and runs a hand over her face. Her child, for all the world to see. So sharp and oh so dumb. "Nenja, tempting a Vampire Hunter is a job for fools, tempting that one is one for suicidal fools," she says. "Leave it be."

Nenja opens her mouth and then huffs. "Well," she says and then whirls around, grabbing an empty tray. "I'm going back to work."

Anja looks after her as she stomps off in a tizzy, grabbing empty glasses from tables with the sort of efficiency that makes for scared customers and chipped glasses. Then Anja looks the way of the stairs, where the Vampire Hunter and his companion had gone.

She shouldn't... but that look D had given Nenja, given her neck...

Anja presses her lips together. "Nenja, mind the counter," she says, and then heads off, to the backroom.

* * *

 

Anja's way house is a very typical frontier way house. They offered food, rooms, baths, stables, limited maintenance on various vehicles and horses, and also sold various things one might need on the road such as travel rations, tools, even saddles.

It was a typical frontier way house also in the way that every room in it was monitored.

She served a lot of hunters, after all, and hunters had... accidents. A way house was not an unusual place find and take out competition, after all – and then there were various creatures of the night to consider, some of which might hunt their hunters in turn.

For security – and on some cases insurance – purposes, Anja had security cameras. As per law they only retained twenty four hours of footage – however... they also could be, when needed, be viewed on live feed.

And that was she went in to check. Clicking onto the camera for room twelve, she sat down to watch, just in case...

D was famous, his reputation wasn't just impressive, it was old, wide spread and on a scale no human could ever achieve. But he was also a dhampir, and for centuries now hunters all over the Frontier had been quietly holding their breaths.

All dhampirs fell eventually to their base instincts, after all. And Anja had seen him consider her daughter's neck.

She had to see, to make sure.

The room was already occupied. The human man was just throwing his strange hat to the rack by the door, shrugging off his wide sleeved, plentiful robe onto the rack as well. The dhampir, however, had gone for the window, checking it briefly before tucking the curtains shut.

The human said something, and quickly Anja grabbed the headphones.

"... days ago," the human says. "Why haven't you?"

D says nothing, doesn't face him, and for a while the silence stretches. "D?" the human man asks quietly. "You're out, aren't you?"

The dhampir’s head shifts and then he reaches to take his hat off. "I used my last dose four weeks ago," he says and turns his head a little, to glance at the human. At the angle the camera is Anja can't see his expression, but his body language is stiff.

The human says nothing for a moment, bowing his he'd. "It's me, isn't it? I'm starting to strain your resources," he says and sighs, running a hand over his face. "That's why I'm at the end of my cycle, isn't it, that's why you haven't... you can't afford feeding me anymore."

"Harry," the dhampir says and then looks away.

"The jobs are starting to wind down," the human, Harry says quietly. "Times are changing."

The pair are tensely quiet for a moment before the human sighs and goes over to the dhampir – and then, much to Anja's surprise, all but plasters himself all over the other man's back.

"Nobility is dying out," D says quietly. "All that's left are rare stragglers, and the newer turned. Nothing like before."

"We're almost out of business, huh," the human answers and presses his forehead against the dhampir's back. "We need to figure out something else to do."

D says nothing for a moment and Anja leans back on her seat a little. She's not sure what is more shocking – the obvious intimacy between the two, or what they're saying.

Sure, there have been fewer and fewer reports of vampire attacks, but... the nobility, dying out? Could it really be?

"I don't know how to be anything other than this," the dhampir says quietly. "I'm not like you."

The human lets out a noise which takes Anja a moment to recognize – a laugh. "And thank Merlin for that," he says and lifts his head. "How hungry are you?"

D sighs and shakes his head.

Harry tugs at his shoulder, and the dhampir lets himself be turned around. The human takes his, even on the blurry screen, beautiful face between his hands, running a thumb over the shadow under D's eye.

"I have been thinking," the human says. "There might be something I can do to ease load a little. Something my people could do. It's not something I ever looked into, Alchemy wasn't really my thing, but... given time to experiment and research, I might be able to do something similar to synthetic blood."

D says nothing, doesn't even move, just stares at him.

"I'd need to go back to the castle," the human says after a moment.

"That place eats at your memory," D says quietly.

"Yeah," the human agrees. "I wouldn't even be able to function, not without someone to remind me all the time. But it wouldn't be for forever. Just, you know... for how many years it would take."

D lowers his head a little, leaning into his hands and the human laughs a little. "So, what do you say? Want to retire to old folk's home for a bit with me?"

"... Lefty is right. You aren't funny."

"I'm the very soul of humour. Now come here and eat me, you self-starving idiot."

"Harry... stop."

" _Never._ "

Anja looks away as the human laughs and pulls the dhampir into a kiss. Then, with slightly shaking hand, she turns the monitor off, gets up, and leaves the monitoring room.

* * *

The pair leaves the next morning, the human with his collar pulled up and slightly blue tint to his lips, and the dhampir looking a little less tense. Anja notes it all in the back of her mind, but makes no mention of it. Again neither of them ask after food. Anja doesn't make mention of that either.

Thankfully, it's much too early in the morning for Nenja to be awake, and Anja can send her guests off with somewhat respectable manner.

"Safe travels," she bids them, the same she bids to every hunter than passes through her way house, and then watches them go, both on the horse this time, and wonders if it was approaching the end of Nobility at last. Maybe the end of the famous dhampir Vampire Hunter too.

Then, with a shake of her head, she turns back to work.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't meant to continue this verse anymore, but then I did. And it wasn't supposed to be sad, just funny thing with outsider pov... but then it became sad :|


End file.
